For anyone who knows my family knows we all have our favorite animals we would like to have. I like Goats, Donkey’s, Ducks and Pigs. More than that I love Elephants and no, it isn’t because of Eeyore or Snufflelupgus I just love them. If I could, I would love to adopt an elephant. This is why David needs to get us a farm.

As for Charlie he has always had a love for white tigers. David loves orangutans and monkeys, just like Suzanne did. And then there are the animals that have been part of our own family over the years—the dogs and cats that weren’t just pets, but became part of our family.

That is one of the things I love about World Animal Day. It gives us an opportunity to think beyond our own pets and learn about animals all over the world. If you could adopt an animal, what would you choose? Would it be an elephant? A white tiger? An orangutan? A monkey? Or something else?

Maybe you would choose an animal you’ve never seen in person because you want to learn more about it. And you don’t have to bring that animal home! Many zoos and wildlife organizations offer animal adoption programs that allow you to support an animal or its care.

Depending on the organization, your adoption may help provide food, veterinary care, habitat improvements, conservation efforts, or other support. And remember, you don’t have to spend a fortune. A coupled dollars a week can make a difference.

Look at the adoption options and find one that fits your family’s budget. The point isn’t how much money you spend. The point is taking an interest in an animal and learning why protecting animals matters. If you’re a #homeschool family looking for something different to study, why not let an animal you choose br your next lesson?

Choose an animal your child loves. Then research it. Where does it live? What does it eat? How big does it get? What are its babies called? Is it endangered? What threatens its habitat? What can people do to help? You can turn that one animal into a science lesson, a geography lesson, a writing assignment, an art project, or even a math lesson.

And then take your learning one step further. Go see the animal! If you live in North Texas, you might plan a family field trip to Fort Worth Zoo or Dallas Zoo and see whether the animal your family studied is there. There is something special about learning about an animal in a book and then standing in front of it and watching it move, eat, play, or interact with other animals. That is the kind of homeschool lesson you remember.

As much as I would love to adopt an elephant, World Animal Day doesn’t have to involve an exotic animal at all. Dogs and cats are animals too. There are animals in shelters and rescues all around us that need families, volunteers, donations, and sometimes simply a safe place to stay while they wait for their forever home.

Maybe your family can’t adopt a dog or cat right now. Could you foster one? Fostering can be a wonderful way for a family to help an animal without making a permanent commitment. It can also teach children about responsibility, compassion, patience, and what it means to care for another living creature. And sometimes the family that says, “We’re only fostering” discovers that the animal has already found its forever home.

World Animal Day is also a good time to talk with our children about something that can be easy to overlook: Keeping the animals we already love safe. That means making sure our pets have identification and current contact information.

It means keeping dogs safely contained and watching cats when they are outside. It means teaching children not to approach unfamiliar animals. It means knowing what animals live in our neighborhood and how to safely respond when we encounter wildlife. And it means being responsible pet owners.

Many of us remember Bob Barker ending The Price Is Right with his familiar reminder to spay and neuter your pets. It became one of those messages that stuck with generations of television viewers. There was a reason for that reminder. Preventing unwanted litters is one part of being a responsible pet owner and helping reduce the number of animals that end up homeless or in shelters.

So this year, instead of simply saying, “Happy World Animal Day,” why not do something for an animal? Here are a few ideas:

Learn about an animal you’ve always wanted to see. Choose an animal to “adopt” through a zoo or conservation organization. Visit a zoo and see an animal you’ve been studying. Look into fostering a dog or cat through a local rescue. Help a shelter by donating food, blankets, toys, or another needed item. Create a backyard space that provides food or shelter for wildlife. Let your homeschool student turn an animal into a science or research project. Talk about a pet you’ve loved and remember the special place that animal had in your family.

Now, I have a question for you what animal has stolen a piece of your heart and why? For me, I already know my answer.If I could, I’d adopt an elephant. Charlie would probably choose a white tiger. David would choose an orangutan or monkey. And Suzanne would have had her own answer because she loved those animals, too.

That’s the beautiful thing about animals. We don’t all have to love the same one. We simply need to understand that every animal deserves kindness, responsible care, and a safe place to live. So on World Animal Day, let’s do more than admire the animals we love.

Let’s learn about them. Let’s protect them. Let’s help the ones who need us. And let’s teach our children that being kind to animals is one small way we can make our corner of the world a little better.

What animal would you adopt if you could? Tell me in the comment

Greatful. Thankful. Blessed.

GreatfulMoments.com

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates